Nonfiction

Here’s wishing you a healthy, prosperous and fulfilling New Year!

And please enjoy the following article about the quest to find and save African American archival radio materials.

http://www.aaihs.org/the-race-to-preserve-african-american-radio/

Here’s hoping that you’ll have a nature & fun-filled, stress-free,

and double rainbow-wishing good thanksgiving holiday!  Enjoy, and share the day with people you love!

Interested in learning more about inventive writer Richard Durham?

Then please click here to see my interview on WTTW-TV, Channel 11 in Chicago. Durham was born 100 years ago in September 1917.

This interview aired on Thursday, October 12th on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight show.

And if you’re in the Chicago metro area, come celebrate Durham’s centennial birthday with me at the DuSable Museum on Saturday, Oct. 14th, Noon-1:30pm.  More details are here.

On September 6, 1917, writer Richard Durham was born in rural Mississippi.

Happy 100^th Birthday Richard!!

Durham spent 61 of his 66 years in Chicago, honing his pioneering creative skills, significant organizational talents and hard-hitting activist tendencies.

As indicated last month, I’m currently working on an audiobook version of Word Warrior: Richard Durham, Radio, and Freedom, my biography of this inventive, politically outspoken scribe. I plan to release this audiobook before the end of this year.

In the meantime, below are a couple of audio teasers from the book as read by award winning narrator Robin Miles. These samples showcase Durham’s creative mastery.

Enjoy and be inspired!

The following excerpt is from the Word Warrior book chapter exploring Durham’s Destination Freedom radio series (1948-1950).  Destination Freedom dramatically highlighted the contributions of notable African Americans – in this case, Durham’s focus is on the man recognized as Father of the Blues, W.C. Handy.

During the 1960s, Richard Durham served as the editor of the Nation of Islam’s nationally distributed Muhammad Speaks newspaper.  Here is an example of his editing and writing skills.

Ready to break out your party hats and birthday wishes?

Well, next month – on September 6th to be exact – pioneering African American writer Richard Durham will join Pulitzer Prize winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, singer/actress/activist Lena Horne, and American president John F. Kennedy, by turning 100 this year.

Apparently, 1917 was a very good birth year!

To honor Durham’s 100th birthday and his legacy as an inventive radio and TV dramatist, insightful  investigative reporter and committed advocate for freedom, I’m currently producing an audiobook version of Word Warrior: Richard Durham, Radio and Freedom.  This audiobook will be read by award winning narrator/actress Robin Miles. Talk about being excited!

And to get you excited about this forthcoming release, I’ve included a couple of short audio excerpts below.  Please enjoy, and I’ll let you know when Word Warrior – the audiobook – will be available to be listened to and celebrated!

From Word Warrior: Chapter 2 – Rural Wanderings

From Word Warrior: Chapter 4 – Radio Beckons    (An excerpt from Durham’s 1941 script, Disasters of War, about famed Spanish painter Francisco Goya during the early 1880s)